Claire wakes up from her happy, restful sleep and goes downstairs to find Jamie being held at gunpoint by Taran MacQuarrie, who’s Head of the The Watch/Scottish Mafia in a role normally played by Robert DeNiro.

Jenny and Ian cautiously welcome MacQuarrie and his men. Ian returns MacQuarrie’s sword that he had repaired and oiled for him. Like a typical family, Jamie, Claire, Ian and Jenny excuse themselves and go to the kitchen to argue as Jamie is simmering with anger that The Watch uses their home like an Air BnB. Jenny has a Braxton-Hicks contraction, which come to think of it, would make a lovely name if the baby is a boy….Mi-lord Braxton Hicks Fraser Murray, at your service. MacQuarrie is very charming at dinner or as charming as a man can be who always looks as though he’s deciding whether or not to kill you.

Jamie agrees to mend one of their horses and the next day he removes a horseshoe with a little help from wee Rabbie McNabb. I wonder if every child in Scotland is adorable, or if this is only the result of Outlander Casting brilliance where they use antique crystal balls and magical Scottish pixie dust to locate these gorgeous children. Jamie can’t seem to stop himself from making passive-aggressive remarks when he’s near The Dirty Half Dozen, so the idiots set fire to the hay wagon and Jamie and a few Lallybroch men put it out. Jamie angrily confronts them and a scary man with huge teeth pulls a gun on him as wee Rabbie looks on.

The members of The Watch are itching for a fight and so is Jamie and they all get their wish. Jamie obviously had an Asian fighting instructor when studying in Paris as he has mad skills that combine Scottish sword fighting, Kung Fu and a dollop of Downward Facing Dog. MacQuarrie, who may work for Monster Jobs’ Extortionist Division, is so impressed with Jamie’s skills that he immediately tries to recruit him to join his band of un-merry men but JAMMF says ‘thanks, but no thanks’.

The barking of the Fraser hounds signal the arrival of the rest of The Watch which includes Horrocks, the hunky, Irish redcoat deserter. Jamie and Claire have a wee moment in the Speak-A-Word Room as she pledges to stand by him ‘no matter the cost’. Soon after, Jamie hears Horrocks telling The Watch where and when they’ll ambush the Chisolm Rent Party. Outside Jenny, Claire and Mrs. Crook are doing laundry in big kettles because sadly electricity and running water have not yet been invented by Eli Whitney and Alexander Graham Bell. Adorable, wee Jamie is playing with Claire and experimentally splashing her with water because he’s watched The Wizard of Oz too many times. The women are chatting and Jenny tells Claire that Ian was raised to guard his Chief’s weaker side…#Foreshadow and I begin to get even more nervous. Speaking of water, Jenny’s breaks and stuff just got real.

Claire examines Jenny and finds the baby is breach or as Jenny says ‘footling’ which sounds like a whimsical event instead of the horror show it really is. Claire tries to turn the baby by manipulating the outside of her belly but it doesn’t work. Jenny tells Claire about Grannie McNabb’s medical potions, which reminded me how much I wanted to see what she looked like. Couldn’t they have dressed up an old grey-haired crone, slapped a “Grannie McNabb” name tag on her and paraded her back and forth in front of the camera? Would’ve worked for me.

Jamie sees Horrocks making himself way too comfy in their home office and steps in for a word. Horrocks says Jamie’s sister and wife are hot babes and you can tell Jamie wants to punch his lights out, but he restrains himself. Seems Horrocks wants to move to Beantown and needs to make bank prior to the trip. Horrocks extorts money from Jamie with the skills of a young Don Corleone and promises that he’ll keep his mouth shut once he’s been paid. #HorrocksIsNoLongerHunkyToMe

The baby has dropped, labor is intensifying and to distract her, Claire asks Jenny to tell her what it feels like to be pregnant. They talk in between contractions and I wish she’d use Lamaze breathing, but Mr. Lamaze and his helpful technique wasn’t widely popular till the 1970’s. The baby is still breach so Claire tells Jenny, she’ll have to reach inside and turn it and Jenny takes this news like a champ but asks for whisky, pot brownies and the inkwell from her home office to sniff between contractions.
Ian and Jamie are fixing the hay wagon and their hands are as dirty as a NASCAR pit crew which makes me wonder if Lava soap is still a ‘thing’. Ian tells Jamie he’s behaving like he’s got a thistle up his arse and antagonizing The Watch. Ian likes MacQuarrie because he protects them from the redcoats and the sicko Black Jack Randall as no man can fight him alone. #Foreshadow He also says MacQuarrie reminds him of Jamie. I love how Jamie completely trusts Ian and decides to live with the devil they know. He then tells Ian about the Horrocks situation and Ian tells Jamie to pay him off with the hidden inheritance money. Jamie doesn’t want to, but finally agrees as he has no Plan B.
Jamie and Claire are in their room talking about their future family and Claire confesses that she probably can’t have children. Jamie struggles with his emotions and tells her it’s for the best because he can bear pain for himself but he can’t bear seeing her in pain. The writer is throwing so many wonderful Outlander lines into this episode, I want to bake my favorite home-made chocolate cake for her as a thank you, but I don’t know how to send it through the mail. The look of pain on his face when Claire turns away is very real and I feel like I shouldn’t be watching.
Jamie meets Horrocks in a secluded area and gives him the money. But like the wee prick he is, Horrocks wants more and threatens Jamie if he doesn’t deliver. The situation is intense and Bear McCreary’s excellent score is not helping my TMJ. Horrocks pulls a gun on Jamie when suddenly a sword comes through the Irishman’s chest and we see Ian has run him through to protect Jamie and their families. Ian seems to be going into shock after killing him and Jamie distracts him by saying ‘remember when we used to argue about what’s the bigger sin, fornication or killin? Ian says if Jamie’s goin to hell then he’ll go too.

Back in the maternity ward, Jenny asks Claire to put her wedding ring in the jewelry box because her hands are swelling. Claire finds the ‘Sawny’ cherrywood snake in the box and Jenny says their dead brother, Willie, carved it for Jamie. I’ve waited 20 years to see what it looks like and I love it and I want one now!
At breakfast, MacQuarrie, who’s nobody’s fool, asks Ian and Jamie why they killed Horrocks. Ian begins to confess when Jamie cuts him off and says hedunnit. Good thing they don’t have CSI labs back then or the confession would be thrown out STAT. MacQuarrie says he never liked Horrocks anyway, but now they’re down one man, Jamie must ride with The Dirty Half Dozen or he’ll kill them all. Jamie and Ian go tell their wives who are not happy campers.

Jamie and Claire go to their room to say goodbye and it’s poignant and heartbreaking especially when Claire gives Jamie the carved snake from Willie and he puts it in his sporran/Scottish man purse. BTW, Starz needs to mass produce the Sawny snakes and sell ’em for $10 each and sit back and watch the money roll in. 10 times 1,000,000 is $10,000,000 and there’s another season of Outlander. You’re Welcome Starz. If you need anything else, give me a call…I’m here for you. Claire says ‘haste ye back’ and I want to suggest they both stand in that lighting every single day of their lives because they look so delectable. They kiss goodbye and Jamie turns to leave and it’s in slow motion, and I shout for him not to go as that’s an indicator of trouble, but he cannot hear me cuz this is a TV show, but it seems verrrra real to me and perhaps I should seek professional help.

Jamie and Ian are riding with The Watch and Jamie’s talking to MacQuarrie who says he’s formed his gang because he was tired of fighting for rich dukes and kings and making them more rich and powerful. (Looks like times haven’t changed much since 1744.) He tries to convince Jamie to join up, but he says he’ll pass due to the gorgeous, loving wife he has at home. MacQ says he’d never turn Jamie over to the British because he’s been in Tolbooth Prison and he wouldn’t wish it on a dog. The men ride down a narrow passage into a tunnel as Jenny is back home in heavy labor. #ExcellentImagery/Metaphor Jamie realizes they’ve been set up and tries to warn the men, but it’s too late.

Back at Lallybroch we find that Claire has been sitting on the steps for days, holding baby Maggie and staring at the road. Everyone on the estate is waiting for their return, and Jenny comes out to Claire and says she watched that road for four years and Jamie finally came home and he’ll come home again.
Jenny gives Claire a pair of carved bracelets that belonged to her mother. She says they will look beautiful on Claire because she’s tall and queenly like Jenny’s mother {Ellen Fraser} was. They were a gift from an admirer but Ellen would never say who he was. #Foreshadow Suddenly the dogs begin barking as Ian comes hopping/hobbling down the lane supported by one of The Dirty Half Dozen and says Horrocks set them up and they were ambushed and the damn Redcoats took his wooden pirate leg and his horse. The rest of the men were killed except MacQuarrie who was injured. Jamie who’s motto is ‘No Man Left Behind’, stayed with him and was captured and taken away by the English. Claire walks to the road and the way she stares breaks my heart.

Post Script: We all knew this was coming, but still I really wish it wouldn’t. From here on out it’s gonna be a bumpy, scary ride. I may not watch it all and what I do watch will be from behind a pillow with the volume all the way down. Yes, I am that afraid to see it.

I like reading recaps. Yours are enjoyable because you add a bit of humor. The memes are cute too. Bromance, ain’t that the truth? Horrocks did have pretty eyes, the bastard. That’s what he gets for being greedy. And the dude that burned the hay? Get him to a dentist, quick!

You are a blessing to this old lady! Your commentary provides me with so much joy. I, too, am dreading the next 3 episodes. I’m not sure how I can watch what I know is coming. It was difficult reading it, but seeing it is going to be excruciating! I am depending on your commentary to carry me through the darkness. You are a joy! Thank you sincerely from an old lady who admires your marvelous mind and writing talents! God bless you.

Dot65Jean, You have made my day! How thrilling it is for me to know my re-caps have brought you joy!! As you know, I am dreading the next 3 episodes too, but somehow, I will come up with something. I don’t think anyone could make it funny, but I will try to at least ridicule BJR (the personification of evil that he is) and possibly throw in some sarcasm. Thank you so much for writing! XOXO, Melissa

My BFF and I take turns reading the paragraphs while we sip on wine after viewing the episode. We stop and laugh so hard that our kids want to know what’s so funny! We tell them but they just don’t “get” it. Keep up the great writing!

One of my goals in life is to confuse children, so your letter is good news! I find that wine and/or hard cider goes perfectly with Outlander. I cannot drink whisky….don’t tell anyone, they’ll make fun of me! 😉 😉 😉 Thanks for writing!

” I shout for him not to go as that’s an indicator of trouble, but he cannot hear me cuz this is a TV show, but it seems verrrra real to me and perhaps I should seek professional help.” How I felt too. Really liked this episode and just can’t help myself from being so caught up in the whole outlander whirlwind. The DH thinks I’m too silly.

Maybe if I shouted louder they could hear me, lol. I hate to admit that my husband might be right, but this may be the first time I’ve ever actively yelled at the TV in our 29 years of marriage. Sadly, for Jamie and Claire, they are NOT listening to me. 😉 🙂 😉

So many lines from the book, I was half awing, half bawling most of this show. Must starting to get even more intense and I understand the hesitancy to watch the last three if this season. It has been built up by the show but more so in the minds of us who have read the books! Aww, snaky, aww, bracelets, aww everything!

Suzy, I was SOOOO happy to hear all those lines from the books. I really do want to send the writer my home-made chocolate cake. I love to bake and it’s my Nana’s recipe (you have to mix it by hand)!! Maybe she’ll send me her address and I can ship one out to Hollywood on dry ice. 🙂 🙂 🙂

P.s., either in your blog or another Outlander blog, someone said that Sam Hueghan became Jamie in the witch trial, when he came to rescue Claire. I agree, and now, though I know it’s a show based on a book, it feels real to me.

I don’t believe we’ve seen an actor of his caliber for a very long time possibly since Montgomery Clift, Marlon Brando, etc. and all those Actor’s Studio guys. In my opinion, theatre trained actors are always the best. And I hope the Emmy voters are able to look past his gorgeousness and recognize his rare gift. And Caitriona is right up there with him. Fans of Diana G’s books really lucked out with this incredible team.

We did! It’s been great. All the actors deserve Emmy’s! Tobias Menzies rocks, too. And the music by Bear McCreary! And, the producers, directors, editors, costumes, sets – it’s a high class production. I’ve actually succeeded in getting my friend’s mom,my friend, and my 32 yr old daughter to watch, I have raved about it so much!

I’m laughing so hard that my husband can’t understand a word I say when I read him the passages that are cracking me up (I just read this and episode 12 recaps for us). Its really hard to laugh, breath and speak at the same time. You’re a fantastic writer, and your own in-blog time travel (Walgreen, airbnb, too many to mention) is priceless.

Loved your comparison of wee Jamie splashing water on Claire and The Wizard of Oz! (Where do you come up with this stuff??) Also…I never noticed Ellen’s roses until you pointed them out! Another great recap Melissa!